Better luck with the fish
by Gmgray
Summary: There are many things about stubborn,distraught seventeen year old Jackie Matheson that not even she can answer. Will a mysterious man in a wheelchair with a once-in-a-lifetime offer be able to help her? I know it's a bad summary just read it INTERACTIVE STORY
1. Better luck with the fish

**Writer's Note: I'm not quiet sure if I have to put this or not, but I don't own any of the X-Men characters or franchise. Also, please leave comments! If I get positive reviews, I will continue the story and add more chapters.**

**Warning: In this chapter there is some minor violence, cursing, one small sexual reference, and offensive language, so I apologize if I offend anyone.**

Today was not a good day so far.

Not in a long time had the young mutant's hair been so dark or her skin so white. Her ponytail bounced from left to right as she struggled to keep up with her youth group while at the same time trying to keep a safe distance away from them.

"J.R."

The brunette almost snapped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, but as she whipped around she realized it was her best friend, possibly her only friend, Honey. The Jamaican's dark face showed signs of deep concern. "J.R, babe, you don't sit with me on the bus, you don't talk to me. What did that jackass do to you this time?" With the back of her hand, Jackie wiped a tear from her eye and smiled weakly. "Donald tried to…" Not being able to finish her sentence, Jackie made hand motions. Donald was a delinquent in their youth group who didn't take no for an answer. "Oh no, J.R, my baby! That boy would do farm animals cause' he can't get any other girls. He just can't accept the fact no woman will every get with him." Honey engulfed her in a hug. Jackie leaned into her friends body letting her warmth takes over her. Color returned to her cheeks. "Thanks, Hon, you always know the right thing to say." The two best friends broke apart. "That's why I'm here. Now, to get your mind of Donald, we are going to the aquarium. I heard there's going to be another youth group there. You can talk to boys, while I talk to Joey." Jackie broke into a smile. "I think I'd have a better chance with the fish." She murmured. Honey and her boyfriend, Joe, where the only ones who knew of her secret. "C'mon." The Jamaican tugged at her friends' hand pulling her along as they tried to catch up with their youth group.

It took only one sentence from the plain tour guide to drive Jackie, Honey, and Joey away. The trio hid in a small crevasse between two large fish tanks. Plopping down on the floor, Jackie pulled out her sketchbook and pencil and tucked her long legs under her chin. A certain red-head standing on the other side of the tank caught her eye. Knowing that he couldn't see her, Jackie started sketching him. The tank obscured most of his features so Jackie used her imagination to fill in the blanks. Honey was leaning against the adjacent tank with Joey towering over her curvaceous body. Trying but failing almost completely, she tried to divert her eyes from their gentle caresses and soft kisses. Sometimes Jackie forgot Honey was nearly two years younger than her.

"Are those air-breathers… mating?"

Slowly turning, Jackie noticed a clown fish looking back at her. "I'm... not sure how to answer that." She thought. A grin tugged at the edges of her cherry red lips.

"You… you can understand me?"

The clown fishes pupils widened. Jackie nodded slightly. "I'm Jacqueline, what's your name?" Large eyes shifted from side to side.

"Name? What is a name?"

The confused fish asked curiously. Before Jackie could answer, she heard someone clear their throat. Within seconds the fish disappeared, leaving a trail of bubbles. Slowly, her blue eyes panned to see a butch bleach blonde with a skin color not found in nature standing in front of her. Numbness spread throughout her limbs.

"Hello, Donald."

Jackie set down her half-finished sketch of the ginger and stood. Her offender crossed his burly arms and smiled smugly. "Hey, toots. I had a good time earlier today; think we can go another round?" Honey and Joey and since pulled themselves apart. "Fuck off, Don." The African-American's voice was flat, edged with acid. "I wasn't talking to you, nigger." Honey gasped, "Oh no you didn't, you cracker I'm going to bust your ass open." She lunged for Donald, but within seconds she was on the ground with a bloody lip. "Stay down, girl." Don bellowed.

"Get the hell away from them."

Jackie hissed through clenched teeth. That good-for-nothing could use her, insult her, but the second he laid a finger on her friend, Jackie broke. As she seemingly grew with new-found confidence, water started to seep from her fingernails. "Damn girl, you're getting the whole floor wet." Donald gave a Cheshire-cat-like grin.

An upper-cut sent him flying across the aquarium, crashing into an octopus tank.

Heads turned. Jackie's arms, which had transformed to look like rushing water, barely contained within her own control, extracted and turned back to normal as if the whole thing had been a mirage. The husky blonde, now soaked and sprawled on his back struggled to stand.

"You… you're a…" He waved a thick finger at the shocked girl,

"You're a _mutant_! A freak!"

Coldness set deep with Jackie's soul. For the first time she had been called what she truly was, and it sent her into a shock. A crowd formed around the brunette.

"Monster!"

"Abomination!"

Honey, now on her feet, grabbed Jackie by the shoulder and with force embraced her friend, kissing her forehead. Joey, bless his soul, stood in front of them protectively.

"Go back to your activities; there is nothing to see here. Disperse."

A man with a thick English accent pushed through the crowd in a wheelchair. "Go, please." Shamefully, people started to walk away. Two teenagers, around Jackie's age, followed closely behind. Peeking over Honey's shoulder, Jackie got a view of the men. She recognized one to be the red-head she had been drawing and quickly stuffed her head back in Honey's shoulder. As quickly as he could Donald ran away from the scene, so fast one could assume he had ants in his jeans. "Look, she did it in self-defense!" Joey said. "Don't worry, Joseph, I'm not here to hurt Jacqueline. I just want to talk to her." Joey looked to both Honey and Jackie and then looked back to the mysterious man. "How do you know our names?" The man in the wheelchair chuckled. "I know a lot about you three, especially you Jacqueline. Leaning to the side, the man tried to get a view of Jackie's face. Peeling herself from Honey, she stepped forward. Peering into the man's face, Jackie tried to think if she recognized him.

"_I know what you are. You are a mutant, Jacqueline Ruth Matheson, so am I. So are they. I must be honest; it was a surprise to find you here."_

Jackie stared at the man in disbelief. Did she just hear him speak in her mind? And how did he know her name, her full name?

"Okay, you must be confused…" Jackie started to step away. "No, I am Professor Charles Xavier. I run a boarding school called Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, a school for mutants like you." For the first time, her eyes met those of the younger mutants. The ginger gave her an encouraging smile, and the other, a blonde resembling James Dean, just studied her. "So, you want me to… join your school?" Jackie asked in astonishment. The professor nodded. "Yes. It's here in New York, just a couple hours away. I could call your guardian, or talk to your counsler." He explained.

"J.R! That means you'd have to leave." Honey protested. Jackie frowned, "He... he said it's in New York, I could visit you on the weekends?" This was all happening too fast for Jackie. Almost slipping on the floor, Jackie's counselor clomped towards her. The obese woman's combat boots screeched on the wood floor.

"Miss Matheson! Donald just informed me what you did to him, I will…" Counselor Watson turned to notice the professor. "I apologize, were these trouble-makers bothering you?" She asked in a shrill voice. "No, actually the opposite. I am Professor Charles Xavier; I am here to offer Jacqueline an opportunity to join my school for gifted youngsters'." Counselor Watson's beady eyes widened. "Oh… are you here to take this sweet girl away?" She asked innocently, smashing Jackie into her side. Forcing a smile, the professor nodded. "Yes, I can fax you the legal papers." The brunette's eyes widened, she hadn't even agreed yet to go with him. "That would be just dandy!" Counselor Watson shrieked in false excitement. "Jacqueline, would you be ready to leave now?" Before she could answer to the professor, Counselor Watson shoved her forward. "I'll send you her cloths and personal effects." The professor motioned for her to follow him. Jackie turned to look at her friends. Tears rose to both of their eyes. Quickly, Jackie ran to give Honey one last hug. "Here." Joey handed Jackie her sketchbook. Smiling weakly, Jackie pulled Joey into a group hug. "We should go now, before security comes." The professor said/

The next hour was a blur. Earlier today she'd been fighting off Donald, now she was in a limousine being hauled off to a boarding school. This was unreal.


	2. One chance to make a first impression

**Warning: This chapter is completely PG, sorry to disappoint. Mom approved.**

They had been joined by two other people before they entered the limousine. A rather too happy seven year old girl with a platinum blonde bob skipped alongside a painfully beautiful twenty something year old woman, hand in hand. The limousine driver, an old balding man of sixty, helped the professor into the front seat and then folded his wheelchair and stuffed it into the trunk. It seemed the driver needed more help than Professor Xavier, but no one made such attempt. Both of the boys sat opposite of the girls. Jackie was forced to wedge herself between the seven year old and the woman.

The first hour of the car ride passed by in an awkward silence. It was the seven year old who first tried at a conversation.

"Do you like tea parties?"

Jackie gulped down her insane need to jump from the extended car and run back to the comfort of Honey's embrace.

"Yeah, tea parties are fun."

The girl's large green eyes showed signs of satisfaction. "Good, because Sean's no fun at tea parties." The ginger scoffed in protest and the blonde boy and woman burst into laughter. "Only goes to further prove gingers have no souls." Joked the blonde. The ginger punched his friend in the shoulder. "You destroyed Jeanie's last tea set so you shouldn't be talking, Alex!" The blonde, Alex, Jackie assumed, held his hands up in self defense. "I told you, Sean, it was Beast! That clumsy blue know-it-all runs into everything!" Crossing his arms, Sean pouted and turned so he faced away from Alex. They both cursed under their breaths weak insults.

"By God! You two sound like my grandparents. I know for a fact you both broke Jeanie's tea set at least once, because I was the one who had to clean it up, so shut it!" Almost immediately the two boys muted. Sean whistled through his teeth. Jeanie made an 'uh-oh' sound. Sighing triumphantly, the woman shifted so she faced Jackie. In admiration, Jackie shook her hand. "Hi, I'm Roxanne, this is Jeanie, and that's Sean and Alex. You'll meet Hank when we arrive at the mansion."

Roxanne, appropriately.

Instinctively Jackie's hand rose to her face, she knew she could be pretty at times but being in Roxanne's presence made her feel downright hideous. Amber eyes shone back at her. Roxanne's golden hair was pinned so it framed her heart shaped face and her plump red lips were pressed together in a line.

"I- uh… I'm Ja-Jackie." She stuttered. Roxanne gave a relaxing smile.

"So what can you do?"

Jackie barely heard the question. Feeling someone tug on her polo shirt-sleeve, Jackie turned.

"What can you do?" Jeanie repeated herself. So Jeanie must have not seen Jackie 'show off her talent'. "Um… well," She wasn't sure how to explain it, "I can turn my body into water and I talk to fish…" The group nodded in approval.

"I like fish." Sean commented.

Jackie blushed. Before she could conjure up anything flirtatious to say, Roxanne cut her off,

"Boy, you'll like anything if it means getting you a date! Now that the newcomer has shared what she can do, why don't we share also?"

_Newcomer, _Jackie thought to herself, _so this is really happening._

"I'm a siren, I sing so I can lure in people and feed off their energy." Alex interrupted the gorgeous blonde, "That's why Chuck won't release you from his sight even though you're twenty-two, you black widow." Roxanne grimaced. "Says the one who the Professor pulled from juvie, you're no better!" She whined rather childishly.

The window separating the professor and the driver from the group of children rolled down. Forty's show tunes and the putrid smell of cigarette smoke wafted from the front compartment. "Quiet back there, I don't even need my ears to hear what you youngsters are babbling about, sheesh!" Shouted the driver. Ironically the professor was peacefully asleep. The tinted window creaked and rolled back up.

Alex scoffed, "Any who, I can shoot laser beams from my chest, Sean has a sonic scream, and Jeanie," The bubbly girl cut into his statement,

"And I'm clar-eh-va-uh-ant!"

Her mouth struggled to form the word, which Jackie found incredibly adorable.

"Clairvoyant, she means clairvoyant," Roxanne corrected her, "Jeanie can see bits of the future." Jackie's mouth feel into a perfect 'O'. Next to their mutations, Jackie felt silly.

Sean, who had been silent since Roxanne and Alex had insulted him, finally spoke. "What's that? You draw?" He pointed to Jackie's sketchbook which was balanced on her knees, her bag at her feet. "Yeah." Without her clearance, Sean snatched up her sketchbook and started flipping through it. "Wow, you're really good, Jackie." When he stopped on a certain page, she knew he had found her drawing of him. Holding up the sketchbook in astonishment, he showed everyone the illustration. Jackie's heart thumped loudly in her chest, heat swarmed to her cheeks.

The sketchbook dropped.

Everyone looked at her in amazement. "Um… Jackie, does your mutation include turning from a pale dark brunette into a tan light brunette at random?" Murmured Sean.

_Only when I'm feeling hot, _Jackie wanted to say, but words refused to form in her mouth. Roxanne cleared her throat and intervened, ruining the moment. "Oh look, we are here, how time passes." Jackie frowned but she couldn't stay envious for long. When she slipped out from the limousine, all she could do was stop and stare.

_Oh my God._

A castle-like mansion loomed over her.

_This may not be that half bad._

As the professor, now awake, wheeled passed her, he stopped to give her a charming smile.

_Welcome home, _she heard in her mind.

_**Let's do some interactive storytelling! In the next chapter, Jackie gets hurt (emotionally) on the first day of training, but who will be the one to comfort her? Fell free to share your idea in a review!**_


	3. The road to self acceptance

**Warning: The soul purpose of this chapter is to get you to understand Jackie's pain of losing her mother and her irrational fear of using her mutation to it's full extent. I'd love it if in a review you told me if I did a good job of it or not writing it.**

The first night of Jackie's stay at Xavier's school for gifted youngsters couldn't have been better, but she wouldn't be able to say the same thing about the first day of training.

The second the driver had found his window of opportunity, he drove off. A large, blue, fur-covered man met them at the front door. "Hey guys!" He'd frozen up when his eyes laid on Jackie. "Oh… um, hello, I'm Hank." Trying to look cool he leaned against the door frame. As Alex strolled passed Hank, he jabbed him in his barrel-chest. "Glasses are crooked." He muttered. Quickly Hank fumbled to fix the position of his glasses, which hadn't been ajar in the first place. The group chuckled as they pushed passed Hank and into the mansion, leaving Jackie alone with the big blue mutant. She couldn't help but stare, but felt like she was being rude. "Sorry," Looking to the ground, she blushed, "My name's Jackie." Hank straightened his lab coat. "You're being quiet, you find me scary don't you?" Seeming disappointed, Hank shifted his weight. "No, no!" Jackie met his gray eyes, "No, I'm just amazed. My brain's fried after the events of today." Hank's frown turned into a smile. "That's okay. Why don't I show you around?" He extended a furry hand. Grinning, Jackie took the leap into the rabbit hole.

Jackie spent most of her time before dinner engaged in a tour lead by Hank. He'd informed her that the 'school' only consisted of her, himself, Roxanne, Jeanie, Alex, and Sean since it was just starting out. Professor had a hard time recruiting students since parents usually called the police on him or chased him away. Jackie's brow had furrowed when he'd said his._ Was this why the professor said he was surprised to find her at the aquarium? Her, an orphan herself, since the age of four?_ When Hank noticed her distraught expression, he laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder and told her most of the people attending the school where orphans also. It didn't make her feel any better.

Dinner time came quickly. To her surprise, no one ate at a dinner table. People walked in and out of the kitchen, rummaging through drawers, cabinets, and the refrigerator. Jackie had long since left Hank and was now wandering aimlessly through the mansion. She'd been admiring a portrait of a mother and her young son when she heard a voice behind her. "How do you like it here so far?" Jackie turned to see the professor a couple feet from her in his wheelchair. For a mere moment Jackie thought he was looking at her, but soon realized he was gazing passed her at the portrait. His eyes where full of longing. Her lips parted, "This is you, isn't it? You and your mother?" The professor nodded, his eyes not leaving the picture. Jackie felt sorry for him, she didn't need telepathic powers to tell he had suffered a great lost. "Yes, this mansion was my childhood home," He read her thoughs. Finally his eyes broke from the portrait and met hers, "But still, you did not answer my question, do you like it here so far?" Jackie bit her lip. _He doesn't want to use his mind on this one… _She thought. Neither wanting to disappoint him nor to seem too eager, Jackie sucked in air, "I'll grow to like it." Turning her head, she looked back at the portrait. "Yeah, I'll defiantly grow to like it." The professor's wheelchair squeaked as it wheeled next to Jackie. "I apologize for bringing you here under such circumstances, it's just when I saw you," His voice trailed off, "You have the potential to become a level five mutant." He chose a different path of words. Before Jackie could question what a level five mutant was exactly, the professor was already half-way across the room, but he still managed to leave her with a smile. "Tomorrow is Sunday, so be ready to train. Oh and there's Campbell soup in the refrigerator."

If he was a telepathic, he was a damn good one.

With a hot cup of tomato soup in hand, Jackie was directed to her new room by Hank. To a normal person, it wasn't anything special, a 12' by 15' room resembling that of a hotel with a bed in the middle of the room, a night stand with a lamp on it to the side, and a closet on the opposite side of the room. To Jackie, it was better than any of the numerous orphanages she shifted around in her whole life. There was even a bathroom! Jackie gulped down her soup on the bed, imagining what Donald and Counselor Watson would say if they saw her now. Soon she was warm under a series of covers, sound asleep.

Faint light seeped through the window and into Jackie's room. Her eyes opened slightly, but she didn't want to wake up just yet. Blankets wrapped around her like a cocoon.

"I don't feel right doing this."

Hank's voice made Jackie open her eyes. What was Hank doing outside her room, and what wasn't he comfortable doing? "Trust me, Hank, she needs this push." That accent could not be mistaken. Jackie heard Hank's heavy footsteps as he walked away.

She propped herself up on her elbows.

This wasn't her room.

Light didn't seep through a window, it seeped through cracks. Four steel walls surrounded Jackie's bed. Jackie almost tripped as she scrambled from her resting place. "Get me the hell out of here!" She screamed, pounding against the wall. Claustrophobia set in. "I know what happened to your mother." Tears fell like a waterfall from Jackie's eyes. Her hands slid down the wall as she sank to the floor. "You know nothing." She croaked. As Jackie closed her tear streaked eyes, a vision became clear in her mind.

_A smile._

A warm face beamed down at her.

_Heat._

Hotness emanated from a nearby room.

_Panic._

There was a scream. A woman held her protectively in her arms, shielding her from the nightmare ahead.

_Fire._

It engulfed her in its arms like her mother had, but it soon became uncomfortable. She had cried.

_Numbness._

The fire became distant as she melted into the floor. It no longer hurt.

"_You couldn't have saved her."_ The professor's voice was once again prominate in the back of her mind. "I'd saved myself. I could have saved her." Jackie protested weakly. _"You were four. You had no idea how to control your mutation; you only acted off of instinct. There is only one way out and you know it." _She knew it, to her dismay. "No," Jackie shook her head vigorously, "No, I'm not doing it; I promised myself I would never do it again." Deep down she knew she had no choice. _"You let your mutation control you in your anger. There's so much more to you, you know, not just pain and anger. There's good in you too, and you can harness that." _Her mind tried to paint the image of her mother. "Pain, happiness, you can do this, Jackie." She forced herself to chest rose and fell steadily.

_Numbness._

The steel cage melted away. She crept towards the light and reformed when she felt grass touch her dewy skin. The professor stared, his jaw hung open. Jackie was, in simpler words, gorgeous. Water replaced her fair skin. She was barely defined in form, but prominate features stood out making her recognizably human. Numbness faded away. The professor cleared his throat. Jackie looked down at her body, noticing that her cloths were still in the cage. When he handed her a towel, she snatched it up immediately. Her whole face turned the color of her dinner the night before. As soon as she could wrap the towel around her soaked body, she bolted. When Jackie found her room, she slammed the door. She felt naked, exposed, her deepest fears torn from the abyss of her mind and put on display to the world. There was no more bed to dive into, so she opened the closet and grabbed some sheets. To her surprise, there where cloths in the closet already. Jackie grabbed a pair of torn jeans and a Rolling Stones concert t-shirt and threw them on. Tucking herself in the sheets, she plopped down on the floor and cried. Jackie didn't know how long she sat there, neither her body nor mind where aware of the passage of time. She heard several knocks on the door but answered to none of them. All she wanted was to once again feel her mother's embrace.

Jackie must have fallen asleep, for when she opened her eyes she was on her back, Sean looming over her. Jackie sat up, confused. Sean sat across from her, studying her face. "You are pathetic." Jackie managed at smile. "You're a loser." She retorted, half-joking. Sean grinned. "Tell me about the fish." He whispered after a moment.

She told him of the fish.

**I made an edit version but had problems uplpoading it so I apologize if the first read is suckish.**

**More interactive story-telling! The next chapter takes place two weeks after Jackie's first day. The professor brings in one of the students to train with Jackie, but who? Tell me your idea in a review!**


	4. Confusion

**Author's note: I know what you're thinking. What the hell did I just read? Don't fret, my readers, it will all be explained in this chapter. I changed the story title from "Better luck with the fish" to "Numb" thinking it would be a better fit for the story but soon realized the title "Numb" might be misleading so I changed it back to "Better luck with the fish". Spoiler alert: Charles isn't a pervert; he just saw something in Jackie's mind that will set up the rest of the story. I apologize that the summary might be bad or misleading; I'm not really good at them anyway. Now back to the story!**

For days after the 'incident', Jackie ignored the professor. When she saw him coming her way down the halls, she walked in the other direction. After classes she would dash before he had a chance to call her back. She would stop just to rethink what she was doing, what was she so afraid of?

The first letter from Honey came two weeks after Jackie's arrival at the school, also had her few personal items as Counselor Watson had promised. The cloths Jackie had found in her closet she soon discovered once belonged to the professor's sister. She asked what had happened to her, but no one was willing to answer. Jackie learned to leave the matter alone. The professor was one thing she couldn't leave alone.

"Jacqueline! There you are!"

She had been walking back to her room after chemistry with Hank when she felt a hand clasp down on her wrist. Turning, she realized the professor had finally caught up with her. Jackie's face drained of color. There was no way out of this one. "Um… hello Professor, I'd love to talk but I've got to meet up with…" He cut her off before she could finish her lame excuse. "No, we need to talk. Now. There is something of grave importance we need to discuss." Jackie tried to pull away, but the professor only tightened his grip. "Don't try to wiggle yourself out of this one." She sighed, forcing herself to look the professor in the eyes. "Fine," Jackie caved, defeated, "Is it because I'm afraid to use my powers? Is it because…" The professor interrupted her pitiful rant. "Stop, Jacqueline, stop it right there." She gulped, "its Jackie." She whispered in a matter-of-fact tone. "Jackie," He corrected himself, "You should not be ashamed about being afraid to use your powers. Look, I once had a sister. She had a very special mutation; she could turn into anyone she wanted to." The professor rolled apace down the hall, forcing Jackie to trot behind him. "Do you want to know what she looked like? Really looked like?" Jackie looked at the professor inquiringly, not knowing how to answer. He went on, "She had this blue skin, fiery red hair, and these eyes, these piercing, magnificent yellow eyes," Pausing, he exhaled, "I made her cover up who she was. I, her own brother, couldn't even accept her." His voice rose. Shifting her weight, Jackie tried to find the right to say. Figuring this was her moment to ask what had been on her mind for days, Jackie cleared her throat, "Um, what happened to your sister?" The professor stopped at a door, which Jackie recognized to be his office.

"She made a choice, and I made mine." He said.

Opening the door, he directed her inside. "The point is it's no use to fear your powers, because one day you will realize there is nothing to be afraid of." She smiled to herself wanting to thank him for making her feel better, but stayed silent and let him talk. "Back to why we are here," He pulled up behind his desk. Jackie leaned against a distant wall. What the professor asked her next took her by surprise.

"What do you remember from ages five to seven?"

She blinked, "Uh," Jackie stammered, "I don't remember, I mean that was nearly ten years ago, I'm almost eighteen now." The professor leaned forward in his wheelchair. "But you remember your mother's death, the first time you discovered your mutation very clearly. You were four then." Not exactly following, Jackie nodded, "Go on." The professor pressed his pointer finger to his temple. "Jackie, when I was… in your mind that day I hit a mind barrier, a very strong one, one meant to prevent any other telepath from breaking down." Her knees buckled, "What? That's not possible," She protested, "I would have noticed that." Wouldn't she have noticed that?

Wouldn't she…

Frantically Jackie searched for any sign of a memory of a fifth birthday party or a first grade play.

_Nothing._

Jackie held her head. "No, I would have known, I…" Before she could scare herself even more, the professor jumped in to comfort her, "The person who did this to you would have rendered you totally oblivious. The telepath who put the barrier up in your mind must have followed you around in the orphanages; he or she would be an adult, maybe one of your counselors or a guardian…" Jackie looked up, her eyes tripled in size, "No, not Counselor Watson!" The professor shot down her theory. "No, she gave you away too easily. She must have known something. The telepath must have not been at the aquarium or else I would have sensed them." Her lips parted. The only adult who spent much time with her that hadn't been at the aquarium was her foster mother. "The woman who runs the orphanage, Andrea Gomez, but how could she have followed me around all of this time?" The professor shrugged. "That's still another piece of the puzzle we need to put together. The woman must have been changing her appearance some how, but Jackie…" He rolled from his desk and up to his student, "Jackie, you are the only one who can break down the barrier. The longer you are away from the telepath…" Jackie finished his sentence, "The barrier will start to break down without the telepath controlling it."

Did she want to see what was behind this wall? If the telepath the professor spoke of went through so much trouble to hide it from her, it must have been something terrible.

That night, the nightmares began.

**If you read the 'interactive story' section of the last chapter, you obviously can see it didn't happen. That's only because I had a change in mind. In the next chapter in where the barrier in Jackie's mind starts breaking down, she goes to someone for comfort in the middle of the night, but whom? Also, WHAT is behind this barrier that is so scary? Tell me your ideas in a review.**


End file.
